Donna Bennett gives speech at Property Industry Foundation event, ‘Steps for Homeless Youth.’ 

On a brisk, early morning at the beautiful Albert Park, Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer and Katie Hooper, Business Development and Partnerships Manager were pleased to attend the Property Industry Foundation Fun Run, 'Steps for Homeless Youth,' last week!  

This fantastic event for the property and construction industry was hosted by the Property Industry Foundation to raise funds and awareness for youth homelessness. It was great to see so many different organisations support the cause and register teams of runners and walkers to participate in the ‘Steps for Homeless Youth,’ Fun Run Marathon around Albert Park Lake. 

Katie was able to do a 5km lap around Albert Park Lake to represent the Hope Street team alongside hundreds of runners and walkers from different Property and construction companies including Mirvac, Egans, Plan Group, Revert, the Urban Developer, Ohh Media, Dalton Consulting Engineers and many more. 

Following the walk & run component, all participants were invited to attend a networking lunch with drinks, delicious canapes, food stations and prize presentations at The Park Melbourne function venue. Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Hope Street, gave the keynote speech thanking the Property Industry Foundation for selecting Hope Street as a beneficiary.   

Donna was able to use her speech to highlight that only 0.4% of social and public housing is allocated to young people, despite the homeless population in Victoria being 25% people under 25. 

It is through the partnership of Property Industry Foundation that the First Response Youth Refuge Centre has received important funding for the new build. Property Industry Foundation are supporting the build and fixtures for 8 youth refuge bedrooms and ensuites.  Donna described to the 600 supporters the benefits and meaningfulness of their generosity to the young people who will seek safe refuge at the new centre.     

The First Response Youth Refuge in the City of Whittlesea will support over 100 young people including young families each year with accommodation in this nation leading response to youth homelessness.   

Hope Street is proud to partner with the Property Industry Foundation.  As a key partner in the upcoming First Response Youth Service Centre build project, Property Industry Foundation’s incredible advocacy through this Fun Run is an important part of community collaboration to raise money and awareness for youth homelessness.  

Lily D’Ambrosio MP local state member visits the City of Whittlesea First Response Youth Refuge build site again.  

It’s been just over a year since Lily D’Ambrosio joined the special sod turning event in April 2023 followed by a Smoking Ceremony by Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin.  The site of the new centre is on Wurundjeri land in the heart of the City of Whittlesea.  The area is well known for its old river red gums, and it is such a privilege that there is a 400-600 year old river red gum overlooking the new centre and all who enter.   

In her role as the local member, Lily has been a strong advocate for the centre recognising the need for the local community to have essential services for young people and young families who need safe and specialist assistance, when most in need and vulnerable.  Hope Street CEO, Donna Bennett has seen over her long history working in the Homelessness Sector thousands of young people benefit from these types of specialist services, “Keeping young people in their local community is imperative as it aids in reducing the traumatic impact of being homeless through young people maintaining their familiarity and presence in the area, as well as contact with family and friends,  and school and or employment.”    

Hope Street was successful in attaining a Victorian Government Big Build Youth Housing Capital Grant for the project.  Donna stated “It was a delight to show Lily D’Ambrosio around the site, where it is taking shape with the frames constructed for what will soon become the next First Response Youth Service Centre. This location will provide much needed emergency support and accommodation to 100 young people and young families each year, from the local community and neighbouring suburbs as they access this leading purpose designed high quality First Response Youth Service.” 

Donna and Lily were able to discuss the importance of therapeutically designed live-in centres for young people with a history of homelessness and trauma. This nation leading First Response Youth Service centre and program model of service delivery, will provide individualised planned support with each young person and young family, to their needs as they identify, determine and navigate their way forward to receiving the care they require and a pathway out of homelessness and into sustainable housing.  

City of Whittlesea Youth Mayors visit Hope Street First Response Youth Service Refuge Construction site! 

Hope Street was delighted to welcome to the First Response Youth Service Refuge construction site, Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson who joined the Youth Mayor Zachary Melvaine and Deputy Youth Mayor Kaynat Virk on a sunny Tuesday at the end of April.  Also joining them were their colleagues from the City of Whittlesea council and all were delighted to see the progress of this important community project. 

Hope Street is nation leading in its response to youth homelessness, with this architecturally co-designed new centre taking shape.   Central to the program model is client centred wholistic, strengths based and solutions focused approaches covering 5 key domains of:

1. health and wellbeing, 
2. life-skills (such as budgeting, planning, routines, cooking, cleaning, positive problem solving),
3. sustainable tenancies,
4. education, employment and training,
5. community and cultural connection. 

Combined with the provision of safe (including culturally), secure and respectful spaces and interactions where young people and children’s needs are paramount, this program model and approaches to practice give young people a foundation to work towards their goals.   

Donna Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Hope Street was able to discuss the importance of Hope Street’s First Response Youth Service Refuge in responding to the crisis levels of youth homelessness. On a local level, it is estimated there are at least 854 people in the City of Whittlesea who are experiencing homelessness on any day.*  

The First Response Youth Service centre is on track to be completed this year and will provide much needed specialist youth focused wrap around case management support while young people and children are being safely accommodated in the refuge.   

The centre and its people are protected with the presence of a magnificent 500year old Red River Gum tree, which stands as a significant connection to Wurundjeri country and culture. This tree and the centre design are part of Hope Street offering young people and young families are cultural safety in this new location in the City of Whittlesea.  

More updates to come on this nation leading response to youth homelessness centred in the City of Whittlesea!  

Photo features: Youth Mayor of the City of Whittlesea Zachary Melvaine, Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson, Donna Bennett Chief Executive Officer of Hope Street, Deputy Mayor of the City of Whittlesea Kaynat Virk.

 * https://ncreview.com.au/2023/08/15/aiming-to-end-homelessness-in-the-city-of-whittlesea/  

Hope Street is building… a team and a youth homelessness service in City of Whittlesea. 

Hope Street is a leading youth homelessness organisation specialising in placed based youth focused responses and advocacy, now recruiting a new team for the upcoming state-of-the-art designed centre for young people and children.  The new team will consist of: a Team Leader, two Case Managers and six Youth Residential Support Workers who will provide early intervention support to young people 16-25 years and young families impacted by not having a safe place to call home.  These roles are suitable for people that have qualifications in Social Work and/or Youth Work. This is an opportunity to be part of a nation leading response to homelessness in the City of Whittlesea. 

The Hope Street First Response Youth Service model is being replicated from the highly successful First Response Youth Service model established in Melton in 2020.  Aboriginal cultural safety elements have been included in the design of this new centre and incorporating  

A dedicated unit for young Aboriginal families and their children. Hope Street acknowledges the protection of a culturally significant river red gum, that is the centrepiece of this new facility.  

Recruitment of a Team Leader is under way and applications are also being received for the case managers and youth residential staff. See the careers page of the website for roles, position descriptions and application process.    

 Hope Street is looking for new team members who: 

• Share Hope Street’s values.   
• Are energised and motivated to provide young people and young families with essential and potentially life changing services. 
• Are enthusiastic to utilise your experience, skills, knowledge and approaches to practice. 
• Welcome a challenge. 
• Look for growth and development. 
• Desire to be a part of a team and organisation that genuinely values its team. 
• Enjoy empowering young people to achieve great outcomes.   

If the above resonates with you, you are encouraged to apply for one of the new positions and become a part of the Hope Street team.    

“It will be exciting for case managers and youth residential workers to work with the new Team Leader to develop this program. Significant induction with our experienced existing teams will occur prior to the service opening.” - Nicole Misurelli (People and Culture Manager).    

This beautifully designed building is specially catered towards those that need therapeutically enhanced living areas to support young people that have been impacted by trauma. The construction of the new centre is making swift progress.   Check out the Whittlesea build here: Update on Whittlesea.  

Sue Scott, the Operations Manager at Hope Street: “It is terrific seeing the structure of the centre take shape. We will have 100 young people each year call this space home and each young person will have the opportunity to feel safe and be actively supported to achieve their goals. Young people who engage with Hope Street are supported by case managers to set goals in the following areas: living skills, health and wellbeing, cultural and community connection and education/ training or employment. The young residents use the opportunity of living in the Hope Street refuge to set themselves for success.”    

To apply to be part of the Hope Street team, please visit the careers page here.